As usual, I salute Indigo Nights for putting it out there for all of us.
At one time or another I or another rational soul have tried to answer
Lori's questions, yet we can't seem to resolve the disappointment and
frustration.  What I always tell people who are interested in museum work is
that they have to show committment to the work.  That begins with education;
it may sound "elitist" but I'll always look at the grad student with a
master's before I hire the one with a bachelor's degree.  The only edge the
grad with the bachelor's degree may have is his/her resume and the many
museum internships or museum volunteer jobs they may have had.  But usually
the master's student is loaded with experience; experience counts.  You will
weigh in best with a higher degree, at least to the master's level during
hiring time.

    Then there is the other story of if you want to go work at an art museum
as a curator, (or even a high-falutin' historical museum), you better have a
Ph.D. in the specified field of choice.  Even science museums and
anthropology oriented ones you will find thoroughly educated Ph.D.'s.  They
don't get paid very well.  They write books, do lectures, and go on digs for
them museums and sometimes that helps supplement the income, but it takes a
lot of time and real hard work, and that's why we want to be like them!!
Hang in there Lori, and thanks to Indigo and the rest for keeping this
subject on the radar screen.  I'm going away now, I gotta finish up some
loan paperwork or I will not be a happy camper next February.

O


----- Original Message -----
From: "Indigo Nights" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, June 28, 2001 12:09 PM
Subject: Re: FW: Summer staffing dilemma


> Lori, I understand your frustrations and I can
> empathize with them.  You're not the first to come
> here with these grumbles; probably you won't be the
> last.
>
> My question to you would be how well did you do your
> homework before choosing this as a career?  How many
> of your instructors who may have encouraged you to
> look to this as a line of work apprised you of the
> realities of Museums work?
>
> There are professions you go into to make lots of
> money and buy lots of things.
>
> Then there are professions you go into where you just
> do it because you love what you do.
>
> Regrettably, for most of the listers here, museum work
> is the latter and not a combination of the two.
>
> Now you can lament til times get better about what the
> Museum field is and isn't doing and what tightwads
> (implied) they are.
>
> Time for a sanity check in an insane world.
>
> Who is going to PAY for that salary?  The patrons?
> The grant makers?  The government?
>
> If you chose any of those three as the source of your
> revenue, you just flunked.
>
> We're on the precipice, like it as not, of a
> recession.  The stock market has been fritzy, and the
> Fed has been making repeated adjustments to the
> interest rates trying to stabilize the economy.
> Energy rates have skyrocketed, and bankruptcy rules
> have been reregulated to make it harder to escape
> debt.
>
> The patrons who make up your client base don't have
> the disposable income they had some time back (if they
> had it), and it's rather hard to get rates raised to
> justify salaries.
>
> Grant makers?  Hmmm.  Well, let's see.  If the estate
> tax takes a dive, there go the contributions upon
> which the grant makers are dependent.  No charitable
> contributions, no money, and grant makers are reticent
> to fund salaries anyway.
>
> The federal, state, or city governments?  Guess again.
>  Heard about that tax cut we're all supposed to get?
> What do you suppose that did or will do to funding?
>
> It is truly lamentable that Museum work isn't
> rewarding AND profitable in most instances, but them's
> the brakes.  One can argue that life isn't fair, it
> just is.
>
> Maybe--and just maybe is all I can offer you--you WILL
> have to look to another line of work until such time
> as you're through family raising.  If you are cash
> dependent and don't have another source of income, you
> may have to make some hard decisions.
>
> I personally am 48.  I had to sell my soul to
> Corporate America to get the children raised.
> However, they're now grown, and I'm in a position
> where I can afford to make less in favor of something
> I love.  It's all about balance and choices.
>
> Now, if you happen to hit the lottery . . .
>
> Til then, you may wish to check out my employment web
> site to see if there are any rocks you haven't
> unturned on your quest for employment.
>
> I wish you the best, and I understand and share your
> frustrations about reality in the Musuems field.
>
> http://victorian.fortunecity.com/stanmer/414
>
>
>
> --- Lori Allen <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
> > When is the museum community going to realize they
> > can't continue to depend
> > on people who don't really need to support
> > themselves (independently wealthy
> > / bored housewives / retirees) for their employee
> > base.
>
> SNIP
>
> The internet
> > companies offer that AND  high wages and you don't
> > need a masters or PhD.  I
> > love art and history and want to spend the rest of
> > my life working in the
> > museum field, but if things don't change soon,
> > you'll find me in a green
> > apron relishing my free coffee, health benefits and
> > stock options (all
> > offered to those working at lease 20 hours a wk).
> > My family does come first
> > and I will not sacrifice my daughter's needs because
> > my job doesn't pay the
> > bills.
> >
> > Lori Allen
> > Graduate Student,
> > University of Missouri - St. Louis
>
>
> =====
> Indigo Nights
> [log in to unmask]
>
>
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